Micah Maddox

If we could sit down face to face today and ask each other if there was anything in our lives that makes us feel anxious, we could probably both spill a few real issues. Everyone struggles to some degree with anxiety at some point. Sometimes it is the simple little things that make our hearts beat a little faster, other times it is the debilitating heavy things in life that hinder our everyday activities and motivation.

There is a huge landscape as we approach the topic of anxiety. For today, I want to offer a few verses you can run to, cling to, and claim in moments when you feel your heart thump within your chest and your jaw tighten with anxious feelings and thoughts.

Before we begin, take a few slow deep breaths and relax your shoulders. God’s Word holds the power you and I need. If we think we can keep pushing through without dwelling in and drinking in God’s powerful Word, we do not fully understand the peace God offers His children. Let’s look at a few verses together and unpack what the Bible says about an anxious heart.

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Have you ever met someone who seems to have conquered the day by 10 in the morning? Some people are natural morning people, others require multiple cups of coffee, various alarm clocks, and hot or cold showers to get going in the morning. Other people hop out of bed and hit the ground running the moment their eyes open.

I land somewhere in between, and maybe you do too. Sipping coffee and hitting snooze a time or two, but then bolting out of bed, is what works for me. No matter how hard it is for you to get going in the morning, the real magic happens in the flow of what you do repeatedly every day once you get moving, especially when it comes to Bible study.

Why Does a Morning Bible Study Routine Matter?

A morning Bible study routine matters because it helps us begin the day rooted in God’s Word before the demands, distractions, and emotions of the day start competing for our attention. Routine is the secret sauce to real growth and development as a follower of Jesus. We can make excuses and pretend we like to connect with God spontaneously, but a faithful, planned, and executed routine will carry you through the days when you don’t feel like you are connecting with God, or when life hits you out of nowhere.

Today, we are going to break down a few tips to help you get back on track if you struggle with a good morning Bible study routine.

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While we each hold our own specific goals for individual children, there is one thing we can do that will launch them into the new school year with a fresh wave of hope and God-centered thinking. We can pray.

The New Testament is the portion of the Bible where we find Jesus stepping into the narrative in the flesh. For four hundred years there was no prophetic word from God, and then comes the Gospel of Matthew, beginning with the beautiful genealogy that introduces Jesus, God’s only Son. All four Gospels speak of Jesus, but John’s gospel gives us one of the most famous verses in all of Scripture: John 3:16. 

As we talk about the most popular New Testament verses, we are going to begin with the most popular verse in the entire Bible. We will discuss why each of these verses are so well known, searched, and held dear by so many. 

1. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

This is a well-known verse that is printed on bumper stickers, wall plaques, tattoos, and many other common items. The message of the verse gives us insight into why it’s so popular. It holds the promise of eternal life.

God’s love for the entire world through the gift of His only Son, Jesus is one of the most life-changing loves we will ever experience. It’s truly a death-to-life kind of love. For those who follow Christ, this verse is everything.

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The Bible is full of well-known verses. There are some you might be able to say by heart simply from seeing them hung on walls in homes, stores, or churches. Maybe you’ve chosen some to be visible in your own life, as a reminder to trust God or rest in His promises.

There is a reason these common verses take root in so many of our hearts and homes. God’s Word is powerful and in God’s presence we truly do find the peace we long for. 

In this article we will unpack 10 of the most popular Scripture verses in the Old Testament. For the first one, we will start at the very beginning. 

1. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).

This verse is foundational for a few reasons. God is established as the creator of all from the beginning. It gives purpose and order to our world and lives.

This verse takes away the idea that the world came into being by some random occurrence or event. Genesis 1:1 truly lays a foundation upon which humanity can build the rest of the Bible’s truth. 

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The Psalms are a place to run to and rest in this summer. While the sun makes its way through our windows (or into our eyes), so can the light of the Word of God shine into our souls.

When I don’t know where to turn in life, I turn to the Psalms. They often give a voice to the words of my heart. They soothe, comfort, correct, lament, and direct. When I’m afraid of what lies ahead or celebrating something I’ve made it through, I find the words I need to pray through the Psalms.

Below, we will unpack a few of my favorites and pray through them, showing how they can give us the words we want to say but can’t quite put together ourselves. We will look at a verse or two from each of these psalms, but for further study you can look up the entire psalm.

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Rest is something every human being needs. Some need more rest than others, and different seasons provide more rest than others. When we talk about rest, you probably immediately have an idea in your mind of what that looks like to you.

For some, rest means a deep night’s sleep, for others it means a day off work to do all the things you can’t do on a normal work day. You might envision a beach with the sunshine reflecting off the water, or a mountain cabin where you don’t get cell phone service. Maybe for you it’s a spa day or a day when there is no agenda.

No matter what rest looks like for you, we all have those nights when sleep simply will not set in. Recently my four-year-old has had so many sleepless nights and therefore I have too. How can we trust God to help us get the rest we need when rest feels so far away? Together, we are going to unpack a few places in Scripture that talk about rest and see how we can trust God for the rest we need.

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The hope I want to share with you today is that you can move beyond your disappointment, hurt feelings, shock, misunderstandings, and pain of whatever has happened to you within the church.

There will always be something in life that will rock our world, knock us off our feet, or overwhelm our souls in a way we don’t know how to handle. But God’s Word gives us the hope and help we need when we don’t know what to do.

Motherhood. Just the word evokes feelings within a mom’s heart. No matter how new or old the title mother is, it’s a weight and a crown that can’t really be compared to anything else. From the very first time I realized I might become a mother, I started trying to learn everything I could about pregnancy, newborns, and the process of being a mom. Now that I’ve been into it for over twenty years, I still have moments when I don’t know if I’m doing it right. As a mom of five, I’m continuing to learn and grow. 

There are seasons that are unexplainably filled with joy. Then there are seasons when the difficulty can’t even be put into words. Motherhood dives into a part of a woman’s heart that is tender and deeply personal.

But it takes one scroll through social media to start doubting every victory I’ve ever had as a mom. Am I enough? Did I do too much? Did I mess them up? Am I making the right choice? Should I have said yes? Or no?

The doubts a mother carries are deep. God gives moms sweet reminders in His Word, and together, we are going to unpack just a few words of encouragement for moms that will help you relax when the doubts start creeping in.

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Motherhood is one of the most beautiful gifts God created. It’s the gift of life and love. As a mother of five, some by birth and some through adoption, I know well the depth of a mother’s love.

With motherhood comes a heart that holds both the good and the difficult moments of being a mom. There are moments when pride soars higher than it ever has as a mom sees her child reach milestones and succeed. Then there are moments that hurt deeper than ever before. When a mother watches her child hurt, she hurts too. It can sometimes feel like the child is an extension of herself, and in some ways that is exactly what motherhood is. 

With all the ups and downs, there is a great need for a mom to be encouraged and seen. The simple, “I love you, mommy,” or “Thanks, mom,” goes far to help her move from feeling invisible to loved.

To celebrate the great blessing a mother is, we will unpack a few attributes of God that can encourage any mom. Whether she’s living her best life and feeling like this is the greatest season she’s had, or if she’s struggling to find her footing and purpose, allow these truths to be a balm to soothe the soul of all the moms, from expectant moms to grandmoms. Share it with a mom that you love and let her know she is seen and known by you and by our mighty God.

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When taking a deep dive into Bible Study, there is a key component that makes all the difference. The Bible you choose has the potential to give you extra help and guidance throughout your study time.

The ESV Study Bible is widely known as an excellent source for deep dive study time. There are a few special features that stand above others and help make your quiet time more insightful. Together, we will walk through how to use the ESV Study Bible and why it is helpful. 

Why choose the ESV Study Bible? It was curated by a team of around 100 diverse Bible teachers and scholars. The wide array of wisdom, scholarly knowledge, and theological depth sets this study Bible apart from others. Let’s unpack the features and talk about how to use them. 

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

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A good study Bible can be the catalyst that takes Bible reading and understanding to the next level. As a Bible teacher for over twenty years, I’ve heard one thing over and over – “I struggle to understand the Bible.” When I hear this, my first response is always the same. Get a study Bible.

There are so many resources out there to aid in Bible reading, but one of the best I have found is simply a study Bible. Once you have one, using it takes a little practice and focused attention. But it is a wellspring of information and helpful guidance that makes the Bible not seem so difficult to read and apply. 

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The Bible gives us everything we need to live a life connected to and honoring to God. But sometimes we need a little help when we sit down to study it. 

Together, we’ll walk through a few key components of most study Bibles and discuss how to make the most of them. Having a study Bible is good, but using it is where we tap into our relationship with the Lord.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

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When I think of peace, I cannot help but think of the very real lack of peace bombarding our culture. There is a rise in mental health disorders, anxiety, depression, financial struggles, political tension, and relationship strain. If you get past small talk with another person, the conversation might lean toward a candid talk about something that is stealing peace.

But I think there is a better way to deal with tension. There is an answer to the problems and pain we are walking through. 

In the Bible we find many verses about peace, but today we will take some of these verses and turn them into prayers. As you read these prayers, don’t let them just be words on a screen. Lift your voice and heart in prayers of peace over the things that make you struggle the most. 

The best place to begin is always by looking into God’s Word. Today, we will discover a few of the places where Jesus spoke peace over people and situations. Many times, He responded to the disciples, the multitudes, and those he healed with words that offered peace over whatever caused them fear.

We can do the same in our moments of fear by praying the words of Jesus back to God. Simply take the Scripture and turn it into a prayer. Don’t just read through this, but rather pray through it. I have no doubt one or more of these prayers might meet you right where you are and help you turn a burden into a place of peace.

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